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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24953827">Punctuality</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maura_Moo/pseuds/Maura_Moo'>Maura_Moo</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Apple Pie, Are they dating?, Autistic OC, Boys Will Be Boys, Davey has asthma, F/M, Fluff, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Idiots in Love, Late Night Writing, Les Jacobs - Freeform, Major Original Character(s), Maybe - Freeform, Newsies - Freeform, Nicknames, OC, POV Third Person, Protective David Jacobs, Romance, Sunsets, Teen Romance, Time Keeping, Tooth Rotting Fluff, Young Love, based on a shitpost, cuteness, description based, early morning, early morning writing, friends?, i need to sleep, kinda characters backstory, late, mentions of Autistic Davey, mentions of a meltdown, newsies oc, not so much, otp, potential couple, straight davey jacobs, sunrise, theyre close friends, theyre just two idiots, theyre not dating, very mild angst, whatever you call 2 am</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 09:23:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,980</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24953827</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maura_Moo/pseuds/Maura_Moo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Until tomorrow” she whispers as her fingers lace against the door handle. </p><p>It takes him a few moments to find his voice within the shy blush that has exploded across his face. “yep...I promise we won’t be late” </p><p>Cora laughs at that.<br/>It’s David- no, Davey Jacobs. </p><p>He’s always late.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>David Jacobs/Original Characters(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Punctuality</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=my+friend+Mars">my friend Mars</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>//She blinks back into the real world when Dave turns his face to the sun, head rolled backwards to do up the last of his buttons. The sun dances off his thinning arms and toned face and she stands there, wrapped up in admiration. With a swoop of his hand, Cora is pulled into his side. </p><p>His fingers feel like they’re burning a hole into her side as they walk, it feels really nice as they walk. Cora chats to them as they walk, about how her older brother William brought home cakes from uptown or about how her father hasn’t allowed his wheelchair to be moved. She cries when she mentions that her father has been getting sick and Les wraps his arms around her neck and Davey bends down to plant a kiss on her forehead. She feels better and soon a smile breaks across her face.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The early morning is cold and the floor bites at the bottom of Cora’s feet but she doesn’t mind. Although the sun has not yet risen, people are still tucked up in bed, sleeping soundly but for Cora and the two boys shes waiting for, the Jacobs children, the day as already started. </p><p>Her hips swing to a silent beat that only they know. She had gotten used to waiting for David and Les but soon the sun started to rise, coating Cora in a light gradient of yellows, pinks and oranges. Her fingers trace the horizon, focused on the highrise building that cast a dark shadow over the sidewalks and roads of their little suburb of downtown Manhattan.</p><p>She didn’t mind waiting, she knew what was going on at home was hard for the two boys- David especially. Cora doesn’t mention it to him but she notices the way his bottom ribs are starting to stick out of his sides whenever he hugged her too close. </p><p>It was their first day and being late would be a bad first impression, that’s what her mother had told her as she woke her up when the world was still dark. </p><p>As she sunned herself, her mind began to whirl out predicaments- maybe they were helping their father, maybe their mother had them trek out to grab water, perhaps they were simply waiting, eagerly by the door for their mom to finish packing them a lunch. </p><p>Her eyebrows crease suddenly and worry begins to flood her body, dipping into her bloodstream like the leaking tears of a heartbroken child. What if something bad had happened to them? Maybe Les had gotten sick? Maybe something had happened to their family? What if something had happened to Dave? </p><p>What if he was hurt? Almost out of malicious intent, her brain scalded an image of David; battered and bruised in the middle of an alleyway tears rolling down his face as his last few breaths rattled gently over swollen lips. </p><p>Early morning dew drops fill her wild green eyes and she presses the balls of her hands into her eyes. If she couldn’t see the picture that rolled through her brain, it couldn’t hurt her. Her breathing trembled and she cursed under her breath.</p><p>“Hey beautiful!” she loops up through her hands and drops her shoulders. David and Les were sprinting up to her. Daves’s hair sticks out at wild angles and his shoes are unlaced. Les is holding a slice of bread in one hand and his hat in the other. Les reaches her first, colliding into her stomach with the strength of a small cannonball. He hugs her quickly and tightly, hands gripping at the pleats of her skirt She places a hand on his head and smiles, chuckling when his older brother jogs to her red-faced and breathing heavy. </p><p>“We’re sorry we’re late we woke up late” David pants in between slow breaths. Summer always made his asthma worse and without any form of medication, Cora had learned how to help her friend. She shifts him into a straight position and smiles as the colour begins to drain back into his lips. </p><p>“Dave picked you some apples from the backyard! He remembered you only liked the green ones” Les stated, raising his arms as she spun him around and placed him onto her shoulders. He giggles as he places his hands on her shoulders. </p><p>“Come on we’re gonna be late.” Dave smiled and Cora felt her heartbeat quicken as she watches swirling excitement twist and dance in the blue of his eyes. She drowns quickly in those bright blue pools but she doesn’t fight back as the softness wraps around her ankles and her muscles relax as the rings around his pupil’s shimmer in the sunrise. David standing there looking like an angel, the bright shining sun and Cora was a growing sunflower trapped in his radiance. </p><p>She blinks back into the real world when Dave turns his face to the sun, head rolled backwards to do up the last of his buttons. The sun dances off his thinning arms and toned face and she stands there, wrapped up in awe. With a swoop of his hand, Cora is pulled into his side. </p><p>His fingers feel like they’re burning a hole into her side as they walk, it feels really nice as they walk. Cora chats to them as they walk, about how her older brother William brought home cakes from uptown or about how her father hasn’t allowed his wheelchair to be moved. She cries when she mentions that her father has been getting sick and Les wraps his arms around her neck and Davey bends down to plant a kiss on her forehead. She feels better and soon a smile breaks across her face. </p><p>Davey chats about how their mother was making an apple pie from her leftover pastry, he tells her than he cut his finger on his sewing scissors and holds it up for her to see. They laugh when Les bites his finger making David whimper. </p><p>New York city couples look them up and down as they walk. They take in Davids dishevelled appearance and Les’ loudmouth attitude. They look down on Cora’s bare feet and kick glass in her way but Davey always kicks it back, eyebrows creased together and anger lacing his mumbles. </p><p>They pause as vans rush by and Cora grips onto David’s hand when he flinches away from the whirring of Manhattan traffic. She runs ahead, wobbling Les on her shoulders as they sprint off, chuckling and giggling as they throw playful insults as David half runs, half-skips to catch up with them.</p><p>Cora’s meltdown happens suddenly. When the church bell tolls. “Dave?” she calls, not anticipating the way fear laces her voice or the way she grabs onto Les’ ankles to keep her body from shaking her so hard she falls over. </p><p>“Im here beautiful. I’m here” Davey whispers into the sky as he lifts Les off her shoulders. He runs a comforting thumb across her ear before giving her a light hug. He shifts her behind him and Les, them a wall of protection and Cora smiles, eyes darting up to watch as Davey smoothes his hair down and slide on his cap. She squints against the sunlight as she watches his hair curl against his neck. The world is still spinning too fast and all the sounds make her feel like she’s going to faint but the smell of Davey’s cologne and the soft footsteps of Les beside him makes her feel safer. More secured. </p><p>By the time they get to The World, the Newsies are already there. They’re screaming and playfighting, too interested in their own worlds to notice three new faces against the crowd. Cora sticks close to David as they move to somewhere quieter, She wraps a protective arm around Les’ shoulders, sighing when they’re ordered in a line. </p><p>She fiddles with the dime in her pocket, rolling it over her knuckles. It’s old and tinged slightly by age and Cora worries that it won’t be taken. She hears the backchat and watches the Newsies bicker with the Delancey twins and each other. </p><p>Davey collects his papers and she blinks at him from across the concrete area. At first, she forgets what she has to say and her lips twitch. She can feel the eyes of the other Newsies on her. The whispers of “a gal!” and “youse think they’re together?”’s. It all makes her feel like shes drowning but not in a nice way. She longs to go back to walking with Davey. </p><p>“Twenty papes please” she stammers out after a while, cursing in her mind as she wiggles back into David’s eyeline. He takes her hand and once again shifts her behind him. </p><p>There’s silence as he stares down the other Newsies, silently telling them that Cora is off-limits to their flirtatious stares and roaming hands. He mumbles protectiveness into her hair as he kisses her head. </p><p>It takes a few moments but Cora slowly begins to settle. She watches them scatter like startled birds out of The Worlds window and onto the streets. Selling newspapers comes naturally to her, with her dirty feet and soft eyes, people fall head over heels with her and soon there’s the unfamiliar jingle of coins in her skirt pocket and the unknown feeling of pride in her heart. </p><p>Her heart nearly shatters as she watches Davey try to sell a paper to a group of women. They ignore him and he retreats back under the bridge, eyes downcast. </p><p>“I’ll sell it” she whispers to him, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. He lights up when Les appears back with Jack, snatching the paper out his hand and settling it to the women he had just practically begged to buy the same newspaper a few minutes ago. </p><p>She's invited back to his house and feels bad when Jack’s signature smile falters off his face for a second. He lies about having to meet someone and Cora knows he's lying but the blonde nods along in fake belief. “Sleep safe okay Jackie?” she tells him, softly but sincerely. </p><p>He nods and tells her the same. The stillness and joy of new friendships don’t last long, soon their feet are pounding the pavement, fatigued legs spurred on to keep moving by anxiety. </p><p>David falls against the bannister when they finally stop. His face is flushed and his eyes are frantic and fearful. Cora cups his face in her hands showing him the way to breathe. When it doesn’t work she manoeuvres him into sitting straight and slowly unties his tie and fiddling to undo his collar button. </p><p>It takes seconds but it feels like hours until Davey feels well enough to stand. </p><p>“Hey, no kids in the theatre” the voice is loud and startling but protective. It makes Cora’s stomach bubble with nerves but soon she gets accustomed. </p><p>That night they dance together until their legs hurt and sweat is pouring down their faces. Its sunset when they leave Medda’s burlesque house and they say goodbye to Jack. </p><p>Davey and Cora walk back to his home together arm in arm. He holds her close and Cora can feel his fingers tapping the song beat into the fabric of her shirt sleeve. He hums it under his breath and it makes her laugh and Les kick his brother in the leg. They stumble along as they walk, the feeling of laughter on their tongues and the sense of the suns gentle orange rays on their backs. </p><p>Cora doesn’t need protecting as they walk away from downtown into their little outskirt town. She walks ahead of David, throwing Les onto her shoulders as they climb the stairs up to his apartment. </p><p>“Mrs Jacobs?” Cora asks as she pokes her head through the door. Huffing when Davey pushes her forwards into one of his mother’s hug. </p><p>They have soup for dinner. And David's mom frets when there’s no more bowls or spoons and worries when she dishes out a bowl for Cora and Davey to share. They take turns feeding each other, lips wrapping daintily around the metal before swallowing and whipping their mouth. They eat the apple pie out of the pan, talking and laughing. </p><p>Cora feels part of a family. She kisses Les on the head as she helps Davey tuck him into bed. She waves goodbye to his parents and kisses Davey on the cheek as a parting gift. </p><p>“Until tomorrow” she whispers as her fingers lace against the door handle. </p><p>It takes him a few moments to find his voice within the shy blush that has exploded across his face. “yep...I promise we won’t be late” </p><p>Cora laughs at that. </p><p>It’s David- no, Davey Jacobs. </p><p>He’s always late. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>//Hey so you made it all the way to the end. Please tell me if you liked it or not. This was really fun to write and I really hope you all stick around to see what I post more.</p><p>Dont forget to comment or give kudos.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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